Aaron Glenn

Darren Mougey To Control Jets’ Roster; Latest On Team’s Coaching Staff

January 30th, 2025 at 9:45am CST by Sam Robinson

Woody Johnson confirmed earlier this week the Jets are adjusting their power structure. Both Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey will report to ownership, signaling a shift from the Joe Douglas-Robert Saleh regime — in which only the GM did so. Even as Glenn will carry more weight in the Jets’ organization compared to Saleh, the team is still giving its new GM a significant role

Mougey will control the Jets’ 53-man roster, according to the New York Post’s Brian Costello. Like Mike Vrabel in New England, however, Glenn will be expected to have a significant voice in personnel. Johnson has already referred to Mougey as Glenn’s sidekick, Costello offers, pointing to the Jets needing to sign off on a coach-centric power structure to bring in Glenn, who was viewed as one of this coaching cycle’s top options.

Even as Glenn’s voice will be the most powerful in the room, this will give Mougey a significant opportunity. The latter has also previously worked for a team that has used its head coach as the personnel centerpiece, with the Broncos giving Sean Payton that power upon trading for him in 2023. Mougey had climbed to director of player personnel in 2021, doing enough to rise from John Elway staffer to GM George Paton‘s top lieutenant in Denver.

While the Broncos moved onto treacherous terrain during the Paton-Mougey period by trading for Russell Wilson and pairing him with the overmatched Nathaniel Hackett — months before his Jets hire — the team also managed to make the playoffs despite a record $90MM-plus dead money bill. Mougey was not a GM candidate anywhere else, and only 32 of these jobs are available. Johnson made a point to note he would let Glenn and Mougey run the show this year, but after the owner irked many in the Jets’ front office and coaching staff by meddling in 2024, it may take a bit to convince Jets fans he will stay out of those matters.

Coach-centric setups have also provided tremendous success in other cities, as the Andy Reid, Sean McVay, Kyle Shanahan and Pete Carroll tenures illustrated over the past decade and change. Those teams have successful GMs in place (Brett Veach, Les Snead, John Lynch, John Schneider), but they ride shotgun — past tense in the case of Schneider, who has outlasted Carroll in Seattle — as Mougey will alongside Glenn in New York.

Elsewhere on the Jets’ staff, 9News’ Mike Klis reports they are finalizing a deal that would install Chris Banjo as their special teams coordinator. This follows a report that indicated Banjo was on Glenn’s radar. Banjo, 34, played 10 NFL seasons — two of those under Payton (and Glenn) in New Orleans — and has been the Broncos’ assistant ST coach since 2023. Denver already lost top ST coach Mike Westhoff around midseason, and Payton fired STC Ben Kotwica at season’s end. The team now may be set for a full-on overhaul in that department, with Saints interim HC Darren Rizzi still an option — depending on whom the Saints hire as their next leader. Although Westhoff and Kotwica held key roles, Banjo still resided in Denver as Marvin Mims went 2-for-2 in first-team All-Pro nods at punt returner.

The Jets have Lions assistant Tanner Engstrand as a strong candidate to become their next OC, and Glenn’s tight ends coach would further point to the ex-Ben Johnson lieutenant coming aboard. Steve Heiden is leaving his post as Lions tight ends coach to become the Jets’ O-line coach, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero adds.

A former NFL tight end, Heiden has spent most of his coaching career in charge of that position. His only season coaching O-linemen came in 2018, when he served as the assistant O-line coach under Steve Wilks in Arizona. Wilks is now in place as the Jets’ DC, while Pelissero identifies Engstrand as the OC frontrunner.

As the Jets give Heiden the chance to make an interesting transition, they are moving on from their O-line and tight ends coaches. Keith Carter, assistant O-line coach Ben Wilkerson and TEs coach Ron Middleton are out, according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. Carter came over to join Hackett in 2023, making it rather unsurprising Glenn will not retain him. Middleton and Wilkerson each came to New York during Mike LaFleur‘s OC tenure.

Mike McCarthy Losing Ground With Saints?

January 28th, 2025 at 1:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

After a flurry of activity late last week filled three more jobs on this year’s market, only the Saints are still looking for a head coach. Kellen Moore‘s Super Bowl LIX responsibilities introduce a situation similar to 2023, where a team could wait on an Eagles staffer. But the Saints are also still considering a few candidates not on Super Bowl staffs.

Mike McCarthy joins Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver and Giants OC Mike Kafka among staffers viewed as still in this mix. Bills OC Joe Brady bowed out over the weekend, and no Kliff Kingsbury interview is believed to have been scheduled — despite a previous request coming out. The Saints have preferred familiarity under Mickey Loomis, and McCarthy is the only finalist left who checks that box. The former Packers and Cowboys HC served as the Saints’ OC from 2000-04. McCarthy emerged as an early candidate, but issues remain ahead of a potential reunion.

A snowstorm last week prompted the Saints to push back some interviews, and no formal McCarthy in-person meeting is believed to have occurred. The team flew in Moore on Monday night and already conducted second interviews with Kafka and Weaver. New Orleans does intend to finally bring in McCarthy for a meeting later this week, per NewOrleans.football’s Nick Underhill. Informal conversations leading up to that point may be creating some distance between the parties, though.

Some in the Saints organization are not high on McCarthy, according to Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline, who indicates initial talks between McCarthy and Loomis — who was in place as GM when the Saints and McCarthy split in 2005 — have produced snags. One of them appears to be how many assistants he would be forced to retain. Although the Saints have lost OC Klint Kubiak to the Seahawks, Pauline adds Loomis is expected to want to retain some other staffers who are under contract. McCarthy may not be seeing eye-to-eye with the Saints on this matter, even if this is the only HC vacancy left.

The Saints’ power structure may be an issue as well. How the Saints will arrange their internal communication, along with the power structure in general, are coming out as issues, per Bovada’s Josina Anderson. As was the case in McCarthy’s Cowboys talks earlier this month, Anderson adds contract length has come up with the Saints as well. With coaching contracts guaranteed, longer-term deals are preferred. McCarthy is 61, which may be a slight complication; though, the Raiders just hired Pete Carroll months after his 73rd birthday.

Some around the league are also wondering how owner Gayle Benson should handle football ops moving forward, Anderson adds. This could pertain to Loomis’ foothold. Among pure GMs, only Cowboys Hall of Famer Tex Schramm enjoyed a longer tenure than Loomis, who is going into his 24th offseason in power. The Saints installed Loomis as their front office boss in May 2002. While that tenure changed dramatically when the team outflanked the Dolphins for Drew Brees in 2006, Loomis’ team is now riding a string of four straight playoff absences since the superstar QB’s retirement.

Loomis and Benson were not believed to be on the same page regarding Dennis Allen‘s firing, with the former not believing it was time to move on from the ex-Sean Payton lieutenant. Still, Loomis is running this coaching search and has not believed to have been in any danger.

The Jets intervened on a potential Saints frontrunner by hiring Aaron Glenn, a move that surprised some in the league (per Pauline) given Glenn’s Saints past. Loomis could still hire McCarthy to ensure some degree of familiarity, though it has now been 20 years since the latter’s New Orleans stay, but that might not be the most likely scenario based on the information to surface thus far.

Darren Mougey, Aaron Glenn To Each Report To Ownership; Latest On Jets’ Aaron Rodgers Decision

January 27th, 2025 at 11:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

After adjusting their organizational workflow during the Joe Douglas-Robert Saleh era, the Jets are shifting back to a setup in which the head coach holds a bit more power.

Aaron Glenn and new GM Darren Mougey will each report to Woody Johnson, the longtime owner confirmed (via SNY’s Connor Hughes) on Monday. Considering the (largely Johnson-generated) negative perception around the Jets during this year’s hiring cycle, Glenn receiving this power is not too surprising. The Jets were able to land one of the top HC candidates in this year’s pool, and the team will give him a greater influence in the building.

This does give Mougey a bit less power, but given how matters deteriorated during Douglas’ tenure, the Jets going with this two-pronged reporting structure makes sense as a changeup approach. Mougey comes over from the Broncos, where the GM also does not hold complete authority. At least, Mougey’s ex-boss — George Paton — has not done so since Sean Payton‘s 2023 arrival. A number of NFL teams use a setup in which the HC and GM report to ownership; the Jets are back among that contingent.

Mougey and Glenn will be partners moving forward. After a chaotic final stretch during the Douglas-Saleh period, it will be interesting to see how the Jets function under their new personnel leaders. Ex-Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum, whom the team entrusted to help pick out new leadership, said during an interview with ESPN 880 New York; h/t ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini) he and The33rdteam.com colleague Rick Spielman emphasized leadership over scheme when landing on Glenn.

Regarding Mougey, Tannenbaum pointed to the former Paton lieutenant surviving an ownership change while rising up the chain as a sign of his abilities. The Broncos hired Mougey in 2012, when Pat Bowlen was still charge, and retained him under the Rob Walton-led group. With John Elway effectively holding owner-level power while the Bowlen heirs squabbled during the late 2010s, Mougey’s acumen may be best illustrated by him remaining in Denver under Elway, Paton and then Payton’s leadership.

Prior to landing on Mougey, the Jets interviewed a host of candidates. A previously unreported one — interim GM Phil Savage — also met about the position, per the New York Post’s Brian Costello. Savage, who is better known for his four-year run as Browns GM during the 2000s, ran the Jets’ GM interview count to 16. Of those, six — Savage, Thomas Dimitroff, Ray Farmer, Brian Gaine, Ryan Grigson and Jon Robinson — were second-chance candidates. This hiring period saw both the NFL’s current second-chance GMs — Tom Telesco, Trent Baalke — axed, reminding how uncommon it is for front office bosses to resurface in power compared to HCs.

As Tannenbaum said Glenn “checked every box,” Glenn said Monday he will not call defensive plays. This will be a change for the four-year coordinator, who was the Lions’ defensive play-caller throughout his tenure with the resurgent franchise. Glenn’s next DC will hold that responsibility, while the former Payton lieutenant operates as a CEO HC.

Regarding Glenn’s next quarterback, Johnson said he will not throw his weight around regarding Aaron Rodgers‘ future. Johnson called Rodgers “a talent, a Hall of Famer” but said he would let Mougey and Glenn decide his Jets future. Rodgers said recently his future with the team was in the next HC-GM pair’s hands, and a Sunday report indicated both Glenn and Rodgers would be open to a partnership for the 2025 season. Glenn certainly stopped short of hinting which direction the Jets will go when asked about Rodgers’ future.

“This thing is not about Aaron Rodgers, folks. This is about the roster,” Glenn said, via Cimini. “We plan on building the best roster that we can. So, whatever that may be — guard, tackle, defensive tackle — that’s what we’re evaluating. Listen, everybody’s under the microscope. That’s just what it is.”

As our Rory Parks pointed out, the Jets holding the No. 7 overall pick — in a much-maligned draft at the QB position — and not having a younger option waiting in the wings would presumably make them likely to reexamine the Rodgers situation. In the wake of Douglas’ firing, a few reports suggested Rodgers was on his way out in New York. Amid a meddling spree on the owner’s part, Johnson was believed to have called for Rodgers’ benching on multiple occasions.

It would cost the Jets more than $49MM in dead money, which would likely be spread over two years via post-June 1 release, to dump Rodgers’ contract. If Glenn and Mougey want to start fresh, that makes sense. But obtaining a surefire upgrade on Rodgers will not be a lock.

Then again, Rodgers has not yet determined if he wants to continue playing. Plenty of moving parts exist for the Jets at quarterback. After Johnson’s previous interference — to the point at least one of his teenage sons was believed to be involved in personnel decisions — irked Douglas and many others (per Cimini) in the organization, the owner will attempt to step back and let his new hires run the show.

Trent Baalke’s Presence Affected Ben Johnson, Aaron Glenn’s Jaguars Interest

January 27th, 2025 at 11:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

Liam Coen‘s about-face regarding the Jaguars confirmed what most had assumed about that job. Trent Baalke‘s presence, reported to be an issue for some HC candidates, had impeded this Jags search. The team was believed to have been “embarrassed” by Coen initially passing on a second interview.

Shad Khan then fired Baalke more than two weeks after canning Doug Pederson. The Jaguars will soon turn their attention to replacing him, but it is worth wondering what would have happened had the team done what many expected and fired Baalke along with Pederson. This particular “what if?” impacted the top offense-oriented candidate in this year’s hiring cycle.

Rumored to be interested in the Jaguars’ job, Ben Johnson received aggressive interest from the team. When he turned down the Jaguars to accept a Bears HC offer, the three-year Lions OC indeed expressed reservations about the team’s front office setup. Johnson may have been leery about signing on with Baalke, as Pederson was rumored to be back in 2022, but SI.com’s Albert Breer indicates Johnson may not have been ready to demand Baalke be fired in order to take over in Jacksonville. He then committed to Chicago, which is also keeping its GM — Ryan Poles — on staff.

The Jags discussed a big-money offer with Johnson, Breer adds, and earlier reports that Khan being willing to boot Baalke for the right HC candidate — despite giving Baalke the keys to this coaching search — certainly proved accurate. Before moving on from Baalke, Khan gave Johnson’s camp the impression he would be willing to do so, Breer adds. Johnson committed to the Bears two days before the Jaguars canned Baalke.

It is not known how serious the Jaguars were on Aaron Glenn, beyond the parties’ virtual interview January 11, but Breer notes that the four-year Lions DC expressed interest in bringing along a personnel staffer had he landed the Jacksonville gig. It is unclear who Glenn wanted to add in Jacksonville, but Baalke balked at this setup due to how it would impact his top lieutenant, senior personnel exec Tom Gamble. Khan had already spoken of beefing up his front office, and the upcoming GM hire may well move on from a prominent Baalke lieutenant anyway. Glenn signed on with the Jets on the same day Coen had informed the Jags he was out.

Khan keeping Baalke more than two weeks after Black Monday appears to have been a blunder. The owner allowing an embattled GM to make critical calls during the hiring period did not align with the team’s future. Baalke certainly could have steered the search toward a direction in which the incoming head coach would work with him rather than guide it to a candidate who wanted his own GM. In the end, the organization will pay up for Coen, doing so despite the one-and-done Buccaneers OC not being a finalist anywhere else. Coen, of course, had committed to staying in Tampa as OC before big Jags promises lured him back into that race.

Coen has the rare opportunity, as a first-time HC, to essentially pick a GM; he also signed a five-year contract believed to be worth Johnson-level money. Coen fared much better with the Bucs than he did with the Rams, when an injury-plagued offense plummeted to last in yardage in 2022. After going back to Kentucky, the two-time Wildcats OC had the Bucs’ offense third in yardage and fourth in scoring. Coen helping Baker Mayfield sustain his Dave Canales-overseen rebound played the lead role in him obtaining rare leverage; the Jaguars’ present state didn’t hurt matters, either.

As expected, Coen confirmed Monday he will call plays in Jacksonville. This was a sore spot during Pederson’s stay, as the two-time HC insisted — despite reported Baalke pushback — OC Press Taylor stay in that role. Taylor, whose presence caused issues on Pederson’s way out in Philly as well, was the Jags’ primary play-caller in 2023 and ’24. Although Trevor Lawrence‘s injuries impacted the team in that span, the Jags plummeted to 26th in scoring offense this season.

Additionally, the Jags are retaining special teams coordinator Heath Farwell. Hired in Pederson’s first offseason in charge, Farwell agreed to a three-year deal, ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco notes. A 10-year NFL player, Farwell has been an ST coordinator since 2019. He in that role with the Bills for three seasons and has been an NFL assistant since 2016.

Jets HC Aaron Glenn Amenable To Aaron Rodgers Return; Rodgers Willing To Play For Glenn

January 26th, 2025 at 10:10pm CST by Rory Parks

The Jets have their new head coach (Aaron Glenn) and general manager (Darren Mougey) in place. They also have 41-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers under contract through 2025. Although there is plenty of non-QB work for the new power brokers to accomplish – including hiring an offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator – one can reasonably expect Rodgers-Jets rumors to begin circulating anew.

Before New York agreed to terms with Glenn and Mougey, Rodgers acknowledged that his future with the club would be up to the new hirees (though he also has plenty of say in the matter himself, of course, especially since retirement is a real option). According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, Glenn is open to a Rodgers return, and the quarterback is likewise amenable to playing for the first-time HC (video link).

We heard back in November that the Jets were likely to part ways with Rodgers this offseason, a sentiment that was echoed earlier this month. After his first Jets campaign in 2023 was cut short after just four snaps, Rodgers played an entire season in 2024, though the results generally fell short of expectations. For what it’s worth, Glenn still viewed Rodgers as an elite quarterback at the time he was traded from the Packers, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini notes. While plenty has changed since, Glenn did coach against Rodgers four times while an NFC North DC.

Additionally, due to the looming presence of a $35MM roster bonus that can be paid at any time prior to Week 1 of the 2025 season, it would be more expensive to part ways with Rodgers in 2026 than it would be if New York elected to move on now and avoid paying out the bonus.

On the other hand, it’s not as if the Jets have a young passer waiting in the wings, and their No. 7 overall draft slot may not be high enough to select one of the top signal-callers in this year’s crop absent a trade-up maneuver (and the 2025 class of QBs is considered to be a weak one anyway). And, since the Jets do have a number of talented players on both sides of the ball, Glenn and Mougey may feel that Rodgers, coupled with a non-Nathaniel Hackett OC, gives them the best chance to start their tenures out on the right foot by turning in a competitive 2025 season.

The relatively weak QB draft class could bolster the asking prices of several veteran passers who are likely to hit free agency. Rodgers would theoretically be among that group if the Jets choose to cut him, but recent reports have suggested he may not generate a particularly strong market. That could partially explain his preference to remain with New York should he opt to continue his playing career.

In 17 games in 2024, Rodgers led the team to a 5-12 record and completed 63% of his passes for 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. That amounted to a traditional quarterback rating of 90.5 (just below league average) and a QBR of 49.5, which trailed the likes of Aidan O’Connell and Mason Rudolph.

Jets Hire Aaron Glenn As HC

January 22nd, 2025 at 10:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

After a spree of rumors, Aaron Glenn is signing up to lead the Jets. The parties have a deal in place, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports. This will bring the former Jets first-round pick back to New York. Glenn’s hire is now official, per a team announcement.

Bovada’s Josina Anderson reported earlier today Glenn had informed the Lions he would be leaving for New York, barring a snag. No snag ultimately took place, and Glenn will cancel his second Saints interview to take over as the next Jets HC. News developed Tuesday that Glenn had become the Jets’ favorite, and the team is believed to have offered a substantial deal to entice the former cornerback. This will be a five-year agreement, per Schefter.

Glenn, 52, spent the past four seasons leading Detroit’s defense and had been on the past three coaching carousels — despite the Lions not impressing statistically on that side of the ball until this season. Glenn managing to keep the Lions a top-10 defense this season, after Aidan Hutchinson‘s season-ending injury occurred in Week 6, burnished his HC credentials, and the Jets will be the team that commits to the veteran assistant.

Lions quarterbacks coach Mark Brunell — a Jets Mark Sanchez backup in the early 2010s — has been linked as a potential OC option, while NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo pinpoints Steve Wilks as a “strong” DC candidate. Wilks had come up as a Jets option Tuesday, as the Glenn-to-New York buzz circulated, and resurfaced on the DC carousel earlier this month. Glenn has been linked to wanting an experienced DC option, which is interesting since that is his side of the ball, and Wilks would match that description. The former Panthers interim HC also led the Cardinals for a season and served as the defensive play-caller for the 49ers and Panthers as well.

The Jets chose Glenn 12th overall in 1994, Pete Carroll‘s lone season as their HC, and he stayed with the team for eight years. Glenn became a Pro Bowler with the Jets under Bill Parcells, helping their 1998 team reach the AFC championship game. The Jets later left Glenn exposed in the 2002 Texans expansion draft, where he was selected. After Glenn played eight more NFL seasons to stretch his career to 16 years, he returned as a Jets scout. More than a decade later, the team — despite having hired a defensive coach (Robert Saleh) in 2021 — will turn to him at a critical point. Parcells helped vouch for Glenn with the Jets’ Mike Tannenbaum-led search committee, Fox Sports’ Peter Schrager notes.

Earlier this month, the Jets made a late push for Mike Vrabel. But the ex-Patriot chose an offer to return to New England. Glenn, who intercepted 24 passes with the Jets, now returns to the Big Apple to help a team likely to begin a transition. The Jets are expected to release Aaron Rodgers, though the future Hall of Famer is not 100% out the door just yet. That said, Rodgers is not committed to even playing in 2025. Meanwhile, Glenn will head up a Jets defense that still features some young talent. The longtime secondary coach will get to work on mentoring Sauce Gardner, while his OC hire will be vital as the Jets likely search for a young quarterback after several recent misses.

New York has not enjoyed a steady quarterback presence since Glenn’s playing tenure, when the team crafted a Vinny Testaverde-to-Chad Pennington baton pass. Several draft choices have missed, and the Rodgers trade backfired, with the 2024 team somehow winning fewer games with the ex-Packers legend than Saleh’s 2022 and ’23 squads did with Zach Wilson at the helm. Woody Johnson‘s decision to fire Saleh after five games also proved the wrong call, as interim leader Jeff Ulbrich — who has since left to become the Falcons’ DC — did not generate a boost.

This is Johnson’s first HC hire since Todd Bowles in 2015. The oft-criticized owner had been part of Donald Trump’s first presidential administration, as ambassador to the United Kingdom, when the Jets hired Adam Gase and then Saleh. Johnson bought the Jets during Glenn’s playing tenure, but his reputation has steadily worsened since — with some hits coming recently. Johnson has been accused of meddling on a regular basis, to the point Madden ratings and his sons’ involvement in decisions and presences in the locker room have come under fire. Glenn is not walking into the most stable situation, but his history with the organization probably played a significant role in him signing on.

Vrabel being turned off by Johnson’s presence came up during this search, and the Jets were not expected to receive an audience with Glenn colleague Ben Johnson. Ex-Glenn Lions coworker Lance Newmark, however, has been closely linked to coming over from Washington — where he has served as assistant GM over the past year — to lead the Jets’ front office. It would be Newmark who would be positioned to work more closely with Johnson compared to Glenn. That partnership did not end well for Joe Douglas, who lost respect for the owner and lobbed anonymous criticism his boss’ way as his tenure progressed.

These developments, along with the quarterback matter, may raise the degree of difficulty for Glenn. The Lions, however, completed this decade’s premier rebuild effort after climbing from 3-13-1 to the NFC championship game in a two-season span. Detroit followed that up with a 15-2 record this season. The Lions’ divisional-round loss allowed for Johnson (Bears) and Glenn to be hired this week, as opposed to the No. 1-seeded team’s top assistants potentially needing to wait until after Super Bowl LIX to be appointed — like the Eagles’ coordinator duo two years ago.

Glenn helped develop Hutchinson, and safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph made substantial leaps under the former secondary coach this season. This came after Glenn helped groom the likes of Marshon Lattimore and Marcus Williams in New Orleans.

The Lions, however, ranked 31st, 28th and 23rd defensively in Glenn’s first three seasons; their defense collapsed in a loss to the 49ers in last season’s NFC championship game. Glenn helped generate a rebound this year (seventh), and his defenses never finishing above 19th in yards allowed did not impede his candidacy.

As the Lions will need new coordinators and potentially some new position coaches, depending on who Johnson and Glenn take with them, the Saints lost one of their finalists. New Orleans still has Mike Kafka and Anthony Weaver second interviews scheduled. But Glenn came up in every HC-needy team’s search this offseason. He met with five teams, declining a Patriots interview as it became clear Vrabel was heading to Foxborough.

While the Saints refocus, the Jets have landed one of the bigger names available as they attempt to end what has become by far the NFL’s longest active playoff drought (14 seasons). The Lions will obtain two future third-round picks because of Glenn’s hire, due to the Rooney Rule.

Jets Submit ‘Substantial’ Offer To Aaron Glenn; Mark Brunell In Play As OC

January 22nd, 2025 at 10:22am CST by Sam Robinson

Barring an upset, Aaron Glenn is on track to become head coach for the Jets — the team that drafted him nearly 31 years ago. The cornerback-turned-DC has been connected to potential staffers, but confirmation of a hire has proven elusive as of Wednesday morning.

However, Bovada’s Josina Anderson reports that Glenn has given the Lions some notice about his plans. Glenn made it known Tuesday he was planning to take the Jets job, per Anderson, who does add the phrase “barring a setback or flub,” providing a bit of pause before the goal line here. Still, Glenn is viewed as the clear favorite to take over in New York.

The Jets have made Glenn a “substantial offer” to become their next HC, per Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz, who adds the four-year Lions DC landed back in Detroit on Tuesday night. Although Jets ownership has offered recent reasons for hesitancy from HC candidates, Glenn appears near the end of this process. A decision is imminent.

Mark Brunell, who also enjoyed a stint with the Jets (albeit one of lesser prominence compared to Glenn’s), appears in the mix to become Glenn’s OC if/when the AFC East team finalizes a deal with its head coach of choice. Brunell would be part of Glenn’s staff if the high-end candidate had his way, Schultz adds, though this is also contingent on the Lions not promoting him. The Lions would be unable to block Brunell from becoming the Jets’ OC, as it would come with a play-calling role. Brunell has been Detroit’s QBs coach throughout Dan Campbell‘s tenure.

Brunell and Glenn did not overlap in New York as players, with the QB wrapping his career with the team in the early 2010s — well after Glenn left once the Jets exposed him in the 2002 Texans expansion draft. But the two have coached together for four seasons. Glenn has also been connected to Klint Kubiak, Steve Wilks, Nick Caley and Scott Turner as potential assistants.

A Tuesday snowstorm in the south also may impact Glenn’s Jets candidacy. The Saints have pushed back their HC interviews because of the storm, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. The other team closely connected to Glenn, New Orleans had Glenn and Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver on its Wednesday docket previously. Those interviews, along with an in-person meeting with Giants OC Mike Kafka, are now slated for later in the week.

The Jets will naturally attempt to prevent Glenn from taking that meeting. Glenn, the Saints’ DBs coach from 2016-20, was mentioned as an early frontrunner with the NFC South team. The longer this process is delayed with the Jets, the murkier his future becomes due to the Saints’ interest.

Jets Moving Toward Aaron Glenn, Lance Newmark Hires

January 21st, 2025 at 11:12pm CST by Adam La Rose

11:12pm: It doesn’t sound like any deals will come together tonight. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, both Glenn and Newmark have left the Jets facility without deals. Connor Hughes of SNY.tv cautions that all sides will continue to talk, so there’s no huge cause for concern within the Jets front office.

4:45pm: The clear favorites for the Jets are known regarding both the head coach and general manager vacancies. Lions DC Aaron Glenn and Commanders AGM Lance Newmark are meeting in person with the team today, paving the way for a potential hire in both cases.

New York’s reported intention is to work out an agreement with Glenn before he leaves the facility; especially if that proves to be the case, Newmark could soon agree to take on GM duties. The two have worked together in Detroit, and Newmark is the only candidate so far who has met with the Jets for a second time regarding the general manager vacancy. This situation could produce a pair of hires very soon.

Bovada’s Josina Anderson reports optimism is building with respect to both Glenn and Newmark being brought onboard. An agreement has yet to be finalized in either case, but that could of course change at any time. Considering Glenn has already been in contact with potential coordinator hires, it would come as no surprise if he were to agree to a New York deal. If that does not take place today, however, the Saints will continue to loom as an alternative destination.

Newmark’s Commanders are one of the four teams still playing, but as the Titans’ hiring of former Chiefs exec Mike Borgonzi demonstrated, front office personnel are free to join new teams at any time. Coaches whose seasons have ended cannot do the same, but the Lions’ upset loss this weekend left Glenn (along with Ben Johnson) on the market earlier than expected.

The Jets have leaned heavily on The 33rd Team’s Mike Tannenbaum and Rick Spielman to lead the search for both the HC and GM roles. Both processes have been wide-ranging, but further signs indicate they have come to an end. SNY’s Connor Hughes reports other candidates are being contacted and told they are out of the running, all-but confirming a Glenn-Newmark tandem will soon officially be in place.

Lions’ Kelvin Sheppard Emerging As Popular DC Candidate

January 21st, 2025 at 8:19pm CST by Ben Levine

With Aaron Glenn trending towards New York, there’s a good chance that one of his soon-to-be-former assistants will be a hot name on the DC market. According to Jordan Schultz, Lions linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard is expected to be a candidate for open defensive coordinator jobs.

Of course, Sheppard’s coordinator candidacy will be partly tied to Glenn. If the current Lions DC ends up taking the Jets head coaching job (or another HC gig), then Sheppard would be a natural replacement on Detroit’s sideline. Further, Sheppard could also be an option to join Glenn in New York (or elsewhere).

A 2011 third-round pick out of LSU, Sheppard spent nearly a decade in the NFL. A few years after his retirement, he joined Detroit’s coaching staff as their outside linebackers coach. After a year in that role, Sheppard transitioned to inside linebackers coach, a title he’s held for the past three seasons.

The coach has earned praise for helping revive the careers of veterans (like Alex Anzalone) and helping guide young draft picks (like Jack Campbell and Malcolm Rodriguez). Per Schultz, Sheppard has a “sterling” reputation not only in Detroit, but around the NFL…so a promotion might not be dependent on a Lions connection.

Steve Wilks, Nick Caley, Scott Turner, Klint Kubiak Among Potential Aaron Glenn Jets Targets

January 21st, 2025 at 3:27pm CST by Adam La Rose

3:27pm: Saints OC Klint Kubiak is another name to watch on this front, Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic reports. Kubiak met with the Browns for their offensive coordinator position prior to the team’s decision to promote Tommy Rees. He does not have a history of working with Glenn, but the 37-year-old would make for an interesting addition to the Jets’ staff if he were to be brought in.

1:14pm: Aaron Glenn is set to take part in his second Jets head coaching interview today, and he represents the team’s top target. A deal could be reached at any time as a result, and a few interesting names have emerged with respect to coaches who could find themselves on a Glenn-led staff.

On the defensive side of the ball, SNY’s Connor Hughes notes that Steve Wilks will be a name to watch. Wilks will be a potential defensive coordinator candidate for New York in the event Glenn is hired as head coach. The latter is currently the Lions’ DC, but there is of course no guarantee he would continue calling plays if he were to take on the Jets’ head coaching position.

Wilks has a coaching background dating back to 1995, and he has been on an NFL sideline for all but three seasons since 2005. The 55-year-old has been a full-time head coach on one occasion in addition to a pair of defensive coordinator gigs at the pro level. The most recent of those was in 2023 with the 49ers, a position Wilks took after he did not receive the Panthers’ full-time HC gig . San Francisco moved on from him after last year’s Super Bowl, and he was out of coaching for this season.

With respect to potential offensive coordinators, Hughes reports Glenn has been in contact with at least two candidates. Nick Caley is one of them; the soon-to-be 42-year-old is currently in place on the Rams’ staff. Caley spent eight years with the Patriots, with much of that time coming as the team’s tight ends coach. He continued in that role last year upon arrival in Los Angeles, but this season he took on the additional title of pass game coordinator.

Caley does not have experience as an offensive coordinator, but Scott Turner does. The latter is the other name Glenn has been in contact with, per Hughes. Turner took over as interim OC for the Raiders after Luke Getsy‘s midseason firing, and he has not been connected to any NFL coordinator vacancies in the time following head coach Antonio Pierce‘s dismissal. Turner is, however, a candidate to join Bill Belichick‘s North Carolina staff.

It remains to be seen (for the time being, at least) if Glenn will indeed be hired by the Jets. If that does take place, though, it will be interesting to see if the candidates he has been in contact with will wind up following him to New York.

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